Nearly six million people are projected to visit the lake in a given year, bringing $60 million in revenue to the Lewisville area and local businesses, said James Kunke, the city’s community relations and tourism director.
The lake also drives economic development projects and residential areas, which continue to pop up near and on its shores, officials say.
“[Lewisville Lake is] a differentiator in North Texas,” Lewisville Mayor TJ Gilmore said. “It provides a tremendous amount of outdoor activities that you just couldn’t do if you didn’t have a waterfront.”
The mayor said some people jokingly refer to the lake area as “The Hamptons of Dallas,” a reference to the affluent seaside towns dotting the southeastern shores of Long Island, New York.
"Lewisville is a wonderful place to get away from it all,” Gilmore said. “I believe that’s true. You have a lot of great amenities right here, and you don’t have to travel far. It’s a pretty amazing place.”
The city of Dallas uses the lake as a water source. It is also used for flood control and water conservation, according to the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, which operates the lake.
“Even though it’s Dallas’ water, it’s our name on it,” Gilmore said. “It’s a wonderful way to differentiate the city and provide a sense of place.”
Lake history
The city of Dallas originally constructed the lake, which was formerly called Lake Dallas, in the 1920s, according to the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers.
The lake was created by the completion of the Lewisville Dam in 1955 and later renamed Lewisville Lake, according to the Army Corps.
The lake opened for recreational use in 1956, Kunke said.
By 1958, marinas were added, and boat manufacturers started to pop up, soon becoming one of the city’s biggest employers, Kunke said.
“A new Lewisville economy began to form because of the lake,” Kunke said. “It drew in people from all around North Texas.”
That economy affected all sectors, including grocery, restaurants and retail, he said.
Marinas are also an important economic driver because they store boats on the lake, Kunke said. Two marinas are located in Lewisville city limits—Eagle Point Marina, which is operated by the city, and Pier 121, which is privately operated by Safe Harbor.
Three other marinas are located outside the city. All of them operate with leases through the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers.
The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers operates and maintains Lewisville Lake, Lead Natural Resource Specialist Nick Wilson said in an email.
“We ensure the dam, facilities and other infrastructure is maintained and operated so the missions of the reservoir serve the people of Texas,” he said.
The lease of facilities by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers are considered real estate transactions, Wilson said. Funds generated through lease activities are deposited into the U.S. Treasury.
Tourism and recreation
As people visit Lewisville, many stay at hotels, which generates hotel occupancy tax funds for the city and state, Kunke said.
The city’s Lake Park and Tower Bay Park serve as key entry points. The two parks are operated by the city.
In 2021, Lake Park and Tower Bay Park saw about 59,256 cars go through toll booths, Parks and Recreation Director Stacie Anaya said. To enter either park, people must purchase a day pass for $10 or an annual pass for $25-$65, depending on age and resident status. Lewisville residents can purchase an annual pass for $40 while nonresidents must pay $65.
In 2021, revenue from both park entries was $380,681. In 2020 the parks saw $421,324. This revenue goes into the city of Lewisville’s general fund, Anaya said.
The parks, Anaya said, are great for people who do not have boat slips but still want lake access. The parks also offer a number of other amenities, such as camping.
Lewisville sees anywhere between 11,000-14,000 RV campsite stays a year, Anaya said. In 2020, the parks saw 11,988 camp stays and 13,679 in 2021.
“During the pandemic, what we saw was a lot more people coming out in the middle of the week,” she said. “That summer [in 2020], every weekend was like a holiday weekend.”
Camping and park entries fluctuate, though, depending on flooding, Anaya said. One of Lewisville Lake’s main purposes is to manage flooding in years with heavier rainfall, which means Lake Park tends to be underwater.
Many businesses, such as Sneaky Pete’s, take advantage of the lake offerings. Sneaky Pete’s is a restaurant that is located on the shores of Lewisville Lake.
“We have people that come from all over the U.S. that are attracted by the lake,” the restaurant’s director of operations Lindsey Mehmeti said. “Summer is our busiest season with the warmer weather and lake attraction. It is kicked off by Memorial Day weekend. Families, boaters [and] groups all come out during the summer.”
During the off season, Sneaky Pete’s relies on its banquet rooms and private event bookings, Mehmeti said.
Economic development
Developments also continue to be built along and around the lake because of the natural amenities it offers. ••On the east side of I-35E is a project called The Lake District, which is in negotiations with the Army Corps of Engineers for Phase 1, which includes the master plan for that area, Lewisville Economic Development Director Marichelle Samples said.
That process will take 18-24 months and require approval from the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers.
On the west side of I-35E, the Northern Gateway development is in the works after being approved by City Council in 2021, Lewisville’s Economic Development Manager Christina Williams said.
That mixed-use project includes constructing more than 1,000 residential units, she said.
“It’s definitely a very exciting project,” Williams said.
Economic development is a large part of the lake, Samples said. It is important that tourism, recreation and development work hand-in-hand.
“Economic development is entwined with everything that goes on in that area,” she said.
